Hawaii does something most states do not: some of its contractor exams are closed book. If you have prepared for licensing anywhere else, that single fact changes how you should study.
Closed book, and fast
The Hawaii Business and Law examination is 80 questions in 75 minutes, closed book, requiring 75 percent to pass.
That is 56 seconds per question with no reference material. Compare it to Florida, where the General Contractor trade papers allow four and a half minutes per question with the book open, and you can see why candidates who transfer their study habits from another state struggle here. There is no looking anything up. You either know it or you do not, and you have to know it quickly.
The content is payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, lien law and Hawaii statutes. Those are exactly the topics people postpone because they are not the trade, and they are the ones you cannot bluff without a reference in front of you.
The C-52 air conditioning exam is also closed book
The C-52 Ventilating and Air Conditioning Contractor exam is 80 questions in three hours, closed book, covering the IMC, ACCA material and Hawaii amendments.
Three hours for 80 questions is generous pacing, so the pressure here is recall rather than speed. Memorized familiarity with the code matters more than tab placement, which is the reverse of how most states test HVAC.
But the General Building exam is open book
The Class B General Building trade exam is 100 questions in 240 minutes, open book, requiring 75 percent, referenced to the IBC and IRC with Hawaii amendments.
So Hawaii mixes formats. Two of these exams reward memorization and one rewards lookup speed. Preparing for all of them the same way is a mistake, and it is worth confirming the format for your specific paper before you decide how to study rather than assuming it matches the last one you sat.
The exams at a glance
| Examination | Questions | Time | Pass | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business and Law | 80 | 75 minutes | 75% | Closed book |
| General Building (Class B) trade | 100 | 240 minutes | 75% | Open book |
| C-37 Plumbing Contractor | 80 | – | – | – |
| C-52 Ventilating and Air Conditioning | 80 | 3 hours | – | Closed book |
All are administered by PSI for the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Contractors License Board. The Business and Law paper is separate from the trade exam and both are required.
A note on the C-13 electrical exam
We have not been able to source an official question count for the C-13 Electrical Contractor examination from the DCCA or PSI. Rather than quote a figure we cannot stand behind, we would suggest confirming the current format directly with the Contractors License Board before planning around a specific length.
Hawaii exam prep
- Hawaii Business & Law Exam Prep
- Hawaii General Building Contractor Exam Prep
- Hawaii C-13 Electrical Contractor Exam Prep
- Hawaii C-37 Plumbing Contractor Exam Prep
- Hawaii C-52 Air Conditioning and Ventilating Contractor Exam Prep
Before you register
- Confirm whether your paper is open or closed book. Hawaii is not consistent, and it changes everything about how you prepare.
- Note the Business and Law time limit. Seventy-five minutes for 80 closed-book questions leaves no room to deliberate.
- Remember that Business and Law is a separate requirement alongside your trade exam.